Why does he do it? Because it's easy? Because it's fun? Because he never, ever faces the consequences?
No.
Because he is entitled. When he slips away from the clan and shares tongues with strange cats beyond the rules of the stars, he gets what he wants, what he is owed. These cats, the ones who reject him here in the clan, don't understand that Sunstrike deserves every ounce of their time.
They are beneath him, in that sense. And he is above them. A tortured, intelligent, and gifted being that is far, far above them.
And the time he spends with others, unruly and savage outsiders, isn't harmful at all because he feels nothing doing it. Others, like the wimps from his clan, are too emotional and everything they do has some passionate fire behind their actions. Not him. He doesn't care. Every new cat he flirts with he forgets by the next sunrise.
It's all fun and games.
To him, at least.
He has a gleaming grin on his stupid face as he leaps over the crack separating his land from theirs. His tail-tip flicks to-and-fro with satisfaction. A bubbly feeling keeps him buoyed up with happiness. He can't help the feathery laughter that escapes him.
Why does he do it? Because it's easy? Because it's fun? Because he never, ever faces the consequences?
No.
Because he is entitled. When he slips away from the clan and shares tongues with strange cats beyond the rules of the stars, he gets what he wants, what he is owed. These cats, the ones who reject him here in the clan, don't understand that Sunstrike deserves every ounce of their time.
They are beneath him, in that sense. And he is above them. A tortured, intelligent, and gifted being that is far, far above them.
And the time he spends with others, unruly and savage outsiders, isn't harmful at all because he feels nothing doing it. Others, like the wimps from his clan, are too emotional and everything they do has some passionate fire behind their actions. Not him. He doesn't care. Every new cat he flirts with he forgets by the next sunrise.
It's all fun and games.
To him, at least.
He has a gleaming grin on his stupid face as he leaps over the crack separating his land from theirs. His tail-tip flicks to-and-fro with satisfaction. A bubbly feeling keeps him buoyed up with happiness. He can't help the feathery laughter that escapes him.
The sun bore down on the mountain, scorchingly close, blinding, wilting everything underneath it. Eveningthaw was one such who saw the grandeur of fire in the sky, melting the ice that threatened to curl and constrict his heart.
He was pacing- that was a good word for it -along the border. Pacing. Mindless, quick steps, heavy paws settling onto solid soil.
Waiting.
Waiting for someone to return.
And return he did. Confidence and pride lacing his gait, ego inflated and foolish ideals reigning supreme. What, Eveningthaw thought to himself, Had brought this pathetic worm of a tom crawling out of RiverClan territory. So, when the massive and heavy set tom slunk around the rocks dividing the stranger group from their meager territory, he fell into stride alongside Sunstrike, knowing, almost amused expression fixated on him.
"Visiting the ladies again, I see," his tone was curt, though amusement danced behind forest green eyes. "So brazen, might I add. To just. . . waltz back in with that smug look on your face."
A laugh. Cruel and sardonic. "I wonder, what do you think Fadingstar would think of that?" He mused, pawsteps following along in heavy strides with the smaller warrior, withering stare affixed solely to him, ceaseless.
Maybe it was ego, too, that brought Eveningthaw to play with this fool come under his careful judgement and scrutiny. Maybe it was righteousness. Whatever it was, he basked in it, cradled in the assurance and cover of the early dawn light that no one would see, speak or hear his sins. Not tonight. Not ever.
Eveningthaw knew how this was going to end. But a little bit of banter could never hurt. It only fueled him more, to hear the careless idiots stumble and trip when caught up in their lies, then see the fear and recognition in their glassy eyes.
__________________
grousepaw is shadowclan's medicine cat apprentice
they and mossfreckle have a semi-closed den policy.
He flinched briefly away from his large clanmate, taken by surprise by his company. But a moment later a hearty, genuine laugh tore from his throat. "Maybe," he vagued, looking off into the distance. A soft sigh left him, reminiscent.
Sunstrike's eyebrows pinched together when he caught onto Eveningthaw's tone. He glanced sidelong at the other cat, his gaze searching his expression. A small chill ran down his spine. Was he amused? It looked so - but in the way one would have to laugh at another.
His own expression deflated into a distasteful frown at the mention of Fadingstar. "And does Fadingstar talk to the 'ladies'?" he shot back quizzically, a small smirk gracing his maw before he smothered it away.
He cleared his throat, snickering. "No," he answered his own question. To hear his own voice. It was a nice voice, after all. Silky smooth and strong. "In fact, I've never seen that fool ever talk to a girl who enjoyed his presence," Sunstrike ventured ambitiously. "So... really, I don't care what he'd think. Clearly, his thoughts aren't that attractive."
Sunstrike studied Eveningthaw to see how he received his comments. He expected roaring applause. It's what he deserved.
He flinched briefly away from his large clanmate, taken by surprise by his company. But a moment later a hearty, genuine laugh tore from his throat. "Maybe," he vagued, looking off into the distance. A soft sigh left him, reminiscent.
Sunstrike's eyebrows pinched together when he caught onto Eveningthaw's tone. He glanced sidelong at the other cat, his gaze searching his expression. A small chill ran down his spine. Was he amused? It looked so - but in the way one would have to laugh at another.
His own expression deflated into a distasteful frown at the mention of Fadingstar. "And does Fadingstar talk to the 'ladies'?" he shot back quizzically, a small smirk gracing his maw before he smothered it away.
He cleared his throat, snickering. "No," he answered his own question. To hear his own voice. It was a nice voice, after all. Silky smooth and strong. "In fact, I've never seen that fool ever talk to a girl who enjoyed his presence," Sunstrike ventured ambitiously. "So... really, I don't care what he'd think. Clearly, his thoughts aren't that attractive."
Sunstrike studied Eveningthaw to see how he received his comments. He expected roaring applause. It's what he deserved.
What an absolute nut case. Egotistical, vain and disrespectful? Three strikes you're out, and the orange gold rays of early-morning are unrelenting today.
RiverClan would do well to be rid of him, Eveningthaw decided, thick tail swaying languidly. Each laugh that bubbled out of the frankly pathetic warrior made his ears flick and the corner of his mouth twitch up ever so slightly, a smug smirk painting his features in a way that suited him all too well. It was his last comment about Fadingstar that had driven the nail into the coffin, and Eveningthaw crumbled. Laughter spilled out, deep and wracking his body like heaves. His shoulders shook, eyes screwed shut, and jaws parted in deep, mocking bouts of laughter.
Oh. To be young and naïve and foolish again. Unfortunately for Sunstrike, Eveningthaw was freshly out of patience.
"You're funny, kid." He said, only sounding slightly amused. "Walk and talk with me. You seem to have a lot to say," He nodded over his shoulder along the border, making sure to follow a rocky and dry path that would leave as little scent as possible. Walking dangerously close to the border, jaws parted slightly to scent the other side. He knew exactly how to get this clock ticking.
__________________
grousepaw is shadowclan's medicine cat apprentice
they and mossfreckle have a semi-closed den policy.
What an absolute nut case. Egotistical, vain and disrespectful? Three strikes you're out, and the orange gold rays of early-morning are unrelenting today.
RiverClan would do well to be rid of him, Eveningthaw decided, thick tail swaying languidly. Each laugh that bubbled out of the frankly pathetic warrior made his ears flick and the corner of his mouth twitch up ever so slightly, a smug smirk painting his features in a way that suited him all too well. It was his last comment about Fadingstar that had driven the nail into the coffin, and Eveningthaw crumbled. Laughter spilled out, deep and wracking his body like heaves. His shoulders shook, eyes screwed shut, and jaws parted in deep, mocking bouts of laughter.
Oh. To be young and naïve and foolish again. Unfortunately for Sunstrike, Eveningthaw was freshly out of patience.
"You're funny, kid." He said, only sounding slightly amused. "Walk and talk with me. You seem to have a lot to say," He nodded over his shoulder along the border, making sure to follow a rocky and dry path that would leave as little scent as possible. Walking dangerously close to the border, jaws parted slightly to scent the other side. He knew exactly how to get this clock ticking.
sunstrike
Blinded by the smirk on Eveningthaw's lips, Sunstrike was deaf to his mockery. He basked in the sound of his clanmate's laughter. The approval (or, what he interpreted as such) made him grin widely. He had his companion under his claw. He was more admirable than this old hag.
His bias was confirmed by false cues, so Sunstrike ignored the curt undertones slicing into Eveningthaw's words. He marked it off as a natural inflection; what a terrible affliction to have, he mused, to constantly sound like a bee had stung your nose.
"I do," Sunstrike replied languidly. "I don't talk a lot - " a lie. " - because some people aren't meant to hear what I've to say. Not everyone's worth hearing the thoughts of the intelligent. They wouldn't understand," he elaborated, scoffing at the hypothetical idiots.
The brown-red warrior bounded along the path indicated by his clanmate, prancing smugly all over the border line. "Most people don't get my humor. Too many bees flying around in their empty skulls, I think," he continued talking. His hubris was inflated by Eveningthaw's condescending compliments. "There's been an uptick of fools in the clan, lately," he remarked. "It's made me feel lonely."
Merlin
~<>~
31 moons || he/him || Atari Claw grey classic tabby w/ flecks of tan, high white and moderate scaring; brown eyes
Mistyshard… an odd name, for certain, and yet Merlin’s heard plenty of odd names throughout the moons. Still, she is unfamiliar, and though she has not crossed the clearly marked scent lines, there’s no telling if she would or not in the next several seconds. Any house cat that got lost out in the mountains would surely have no qualms about border crossing, and yet this ‘Mistyshard’ does not behave in that way. She must not be a house cat, then. A wandering loner, perhaps? But she smells not only of a single cat, but like she frequents a colony of some kind.. one with a salty, umami undertone. Merlin does not recognize these scents.
”I don’t give my name to strangers…” he answers after another too long pause. ”You don’t carry the scent if any colonies I know… who do you belong to and what are you doing here? This is Atari land.” He keeps his tone level, not friendly, but not quite unfriendly either.
purrks ; hk t1 , dreamwalker
she / they . atari healer
24 moons . autistic
tags ; @taillow - dusklion
trigger warnings for this post: none
' atari is correct! ' well, two-name dusklion seemed trustworthy enough. ' yepyep! as far as i know, there's only one other group 'sides the atari. speaking of atari, i'm the atari healer! ' mumble sat back, waiting to see how TND (two name dusklion) would respond. she did hope it would be a nice response, because this cat sort of seemed a little bit possibly maybe like a friend!
__________________
' bitter choco decoration,
eat it all without saying a thing '
...She hated it. How much this cats pure happiness and unbridled joy reminded her of the day she had come across Wisteriawren doing some sort of trick by standing on just her front paws. Dusklion narrowed her eyes, trying to gauge whether or not this was some sort of trick. The big, doe-like eyes... the friendliness... the willingness to divulge sensitive information about her and her grup that likely was preferred to remain a secret... Hmph. No. This would not be another Wisteriawren.
"One other group?" Maybe that was the second group that Owls had scented when she had traveled down into the forest that surrounded the mountain. It made sense, and seemed to only be confirmed by this... Mumble. "Healer, huh? What kind of plant life grows up here?" she asked with a disbelieving scoff at the end. Her eyes glanced around to the barren mountainside they resided on. She couldn't imagine cats being all that skilled in herbs up here, not unless they traveled back down to the forest every day.
Blinded by the smirk on Eveningthaw's lips, Sunstrike was deaf to his mockery. He basked in the sound of his clanmate's laughter. The approval (or, what he interpreted as such) made him grin widely. He had his companion under his claw. He was more admirable than this old hag.
His bias was confirmed by false cues, so Sunstrike ignored the curt undertones slicing into Eveningthaw's words. He marked it off as a natural inflection; what a terrible affliction to have, he mused, to constantly sound like a bee had stung your nose.
"I do," Sunstrike replied languidly. "I don't talk a lot - " a lie. " - because some people aren't meant to hear what I've to say. Not everyone's worth hearing the thoughts of the intelligent. They wouldn't understand," he elaborated, scoffing at the hypothetical idiots.
The brown-red warrior bounded along the path indicated by his clanmate, prancing smugly all over the border line. "Most people don't get my humor. Too many bees flying around in their empty skulls, I think," he continued talking. His hubris was inflated by Eveningthaw's condescending compliments. "There's been an uptick of fools in the clan, lately," he remarked. "It's made me feel lonely."
Eveningthaw trailed after Sunstrike, letting him take the lead. When they reached the ridge's apex, he gazed out over the valley far below, the sloping trees and rivulets pooling down the silver vision of mountain's claws. He glanced at the small gap dividing the two territories, then at Sunstrike.
Eveningthaw parted his jaws to scent the air, then, with a low laugh, he turned to Sunstrike.
And, in one effortless bound, he leapt and drove heavy paws into the frankly pathetic warrior's shoulders, bringing him to the ground. Efficiency is the name of the game, though before he clamped his jaws down around the tom's throat, he murmured. "You are the scum that poisons RiverClan, Sunstrike."
Lights out. Eveningthaw felt his teeth sink into soft flesh. The satisfying pop of the windpipe as it gave under his bite was one he had grown a little too familiar with, blood filling his senses. Pulling away, he exhaled sharply.
Eveningthaw stepped back from the body, then scooped the tail in his jaws. He tugged it sharply, sending it slipping just barely into the earth crack so heavily scented with Atari smell that it overpowered everything else, shielded sparsely by bush and underbrush so that the glint of fur wasn't immediately apparent. A slight grin rested on his features, and he licked down his muzzle to rid himself of the younger warriors stench before quickly re-rerouting along the Atari scent lines to mask his smell and heading back into Riverclan soil.
Once safely away from the border and his retribution, the massive warrior groomed down his fur and gave a quick roll in the rocky dirt. It wasn't mud, but it still worked to remove the strongest of the Atari scent from his pelt. Another once-over with his tongue left him clean. Satisfied, he took the time to catch a pair of mice before returning to camp.
[Eveningthaw rolled a 18 and has caught 2 mice.]
__________________
grousepaw is shadowclan's medicine cat apprentice
they and mossfreckle have a semi-closed den policy.
DUSKLION
she/her | riverclan deputy | 30 moons go with the flow, rapid recovery, beefed up t3
It was the scent of death that brought her out here. It was faint, but ever since she had discovered Mossypaw's body she had become adept to scenting it. Pungent as it was, it was ingrained into Dusklion's mind now as she worked to track it from camp. Atari scent here was nearly overpowering though, but thankfully it wasn't scent that would eventually lead her to the source. The tip of an ear, just barely visible - but the keen blue eyes of the deputy caught it.
Veering off she padded closer and confirmed her suspicions; there, shoved into the small crack of the border, was Sunstrike. Her heart dropped into her paws and Dusklion bowed her head. Part of her was angry, and another part wondered if this mouse-brain had toyed with fate by being so close to the border of a group of cats without having known anything about them.
Wordlessly Dusklion retrieved the body from the crack and hauled it onto her back. There was a brief pause as some... other scent clung to the pelt. It was faint and... familiar. Brows furrowed she tried to think of where she could place it, but her mind continued to draw a blank. With a sigh the deputy turned and headed back to camp.
Re: The Rift [ Atari / RiverClan Border ]
